Today, it's JD McPherson offering up a pair of tracks free on Noisetrade in advance of the November 2 release of his highly anticipated Christmas album, "Socks". McPherson is mighty proud of this album and, judging by these two advance songs--"Hey Skinny Santa" and "Socks"--he should be. It's not just that he's completely captured the sound of an earlier era, but this is (to validate JD's own impressions) some of the finest lyrical work we've heard on a Christmas album in many a year. Just consider this one line from "Socks" as example:It doesn't beep or buzz or bop or rattle in the boxWhy'd you waste the paper on a lousy pair of socksHear the whole song and download "Socks" and "Hey Skinny Santa" by JD McPherson free at Noisetrade now and for a limited time (same goes for Rodney Crowell's Noisetrade tracks...limited time only). And read JD's thoughts on his Christmas record in an exclusive interview.

We're a little over a week away from the release of Rodney Crowell's highly anticipated Christmas album, "Christmas Everywhere". And, perhaps because I live my musical life in Christmas music, I'd have thought everyone had gotten the word already. But New West Records is taking no chances. On Tuesday, October 23, they released a 7" vinyl single to independent retail record stores featuring Rodney's "When The Fat Guy Tries THe Chimney On For Size" on one side and JD McPherson's"Hey Skinny Santa" on the other. The single is only for walk-in customers, costs $1.99 and comes with a coupon for $2 off the purchase of either of the full albums (or both).

Today, two of Rodney's Christmas tunes--"When The Fat Guy Tries The Chimney On For Size" and "Christmas Everywhere" (featuring Lera Lynn) have been added on Noisetrade, available for listening and/or download. So, if you want a preview of the record you've pre-ordered, or if you couldn't order for whatever reason, make sure you head to Noisetrade to add these two tracks to your collection. And you can learn more about Rodney's Christmas album in an interview conducted by Noisetrade.

We introduced you to the Dutch Americana band Hidden Agenda Deluxe in 2016, when a tour with Oklahoma's own Carter Sampson resulted in a somewhat impromptu Christmas album, "Christmas From Amsterdam to Oklahoma".

As Hidden Agenda Deluxe prepares to release their second holiday effort, "Angels In The Snow" featuring Canada's Oh Susanna, that first beautiful album is currently available as a "name-your-price" instant download via Bandcamp (no email required).

No further words are necessary. Except to say this may be the best free Christmas download you'll get all year. Waste no further time. Head straight to Bandcamp and download "Christmas From Amsterdam to Oklahoma" from Hidden Agenda Deluxe & Carter Sampson. And, if the track above didn't win you over, here's one of my favorites from the album, Carter Sampson's rendition of Dolly Parton's "Hard Candy Christmas".

​I love the acoustics--"Snow"was recorded live at The Muse Mansion in December 2017. I love her voice. I love her name--Pepper Proud. I love the arrangement on"Carol of the Bells". And the arrangement of"Frosty The Snowman"is certainly...different (oddly both Grunge and Ambient, actually). So why does it leave my mind as soon as the download finishes? Eh, questions for which we do not have the answers, I'm afraid.

Pepper Proudwas born in West Virginia and moved to Seattle in 2007. So what you get is Americana Folk and Bluegrass with Seattle Indie influence and flair. And you might not get the full picture from this pair of Christmas tracks, so it's worth checking out Pepper's 2014 full-length"Water"which, as it happens, is a name-your-price download atBandcamp, just as"Snow"is (hmm. Snow, Water....I'm sensing a pattern, here). Anyway, try it on for size. You might just like what you hear. I did. (Or at least I think I did. Wait, what were we talking about again?)

​We needed a little variety here anyway, but give me a cello and women singing in clise harmony, and I am so there. This is the vocal trio Post Monroe. I do wonder where the name comes from, but anyway... Relatively new on the scene, there's been a lot of buzz about Post Monroe in Country music circles this year. They declare that they aren't Pop Country--just Country. But I'm going to tag "Let Christmas Hang Around" as Country and Country Pop, because I do that sort of thing. Post Monroe are definitely a group to watch in the year ahead. "Let Christmas Hang Around" is free at Noisetrade.

A little Folk music fromDavid Rovics. David's a prolific singer/songwriter. He's always sending out new music to be streamed or downloaded to those on his mailing list. He's based out of the Pacific Northwest, these days. But, like most indiginous American music, David's likely more popular overseas. Andy Kershawof the BBC has said, "If the great Phil Ochs were to rise from the dead today, he would probably be hailed as the new David Rovics." David's a strong proponent of unions (as am I) and puts his money where his mouth is as a member of the American Federation of Musicians.

The music is always good and thought provoking as is certainly the case with"Christmas In A Tent". David's music to buy can generally be found onBandcamp. But"Christmas In A Tent", a free download, will be found at Soundcloud.

One of my favorite annual holiday collections of the last few years is "A Cigar Box Nation Christmas". Cigar Box Nation is a place where musicians who build and play instruments out of cigar boxes gather together and compare notes, swap stories, share songs. If you've never turned a cigar box into an instrument, but would like to try it, you'll find plenty of people there more than happy to help you on the journey. Honestly, hang out for a while and you get the feeling that these cigar box musicians and instrument makers are like kids who get to celebrate Christmas every day. And the instruments can range from the simplest you can imagine to concert ready electric guitars (here's a tip for you; if you're making your first one, start with the simpler designs). Since 2009, Cigar Box Nation's denizens have been putting together these Christmas music collections featuring cigar box instruments--for their own enjoyment and the enjoyment of anyone who stops by. They've always been free and they all still are. The music runs the gamut from Bluegrass to Blues to Hard Rock, although this year's set is heavy on Blues. It's amazing what you can do with a cigar box guitar (acoustic or electric) or banjo. Some of these folks are professional musicians and some are just hobbyists, so you get a full range of sound quality (although one basic rule they employ is that you have to be able to hear it; good rule).

Unlike some postings in past years, I've actually had the chance to listen to the "2016 Cigar Box Nation Christmas". This year's collection is a relatively (for them) modest 21 tracks (last year's, in comparison, was 31). You'll find that's just about one song (3 or 4 minutes) too long for a single CD. The members, this year, were pushing each other to submit original songs, so the majority of these tracks are, indeed, as homemade as their instruments.​Jim Morris opens the set in style with an original Folk Gospel number (with Celtic overtones), "Waiting For The Wise Men". I actually had to go back and read the discussions to make sure it was original because it sounds so much like all those old Folk carols, I initially thought it had been with us for a couple hundred years. Just a great, great song.

My favorites, though...some tracks that truly blew me away...were C# Merle's "Sleekit Santa" and "Silent Night" by Mark Jeghurs. C# Merle's number feaures a Jazz flute playing over a Blues cigar box guitar/bass bed. Of course, I'm a sucker for flute, anyway, but the Jazz-Blues pairing works so much better than you'd imagine it would if someone (like moi) tried to explain it to you. But even "Sleekit Santa" was no match for Mark Jeghurs' Delta Blues "Silent Night". Oh, sure, you think you know "Silent Night", but I guarantee you've never heard this. This "Silent Night" is merely based on the one you know. It is a completely original song--original music (well...Delta Blues), original lyrics. Awesome squared and my pick for the collection's best. "A Cold And Snowy Noght" by CDA Ramirez is a stripped down Progressive Rock tune--another highlight. Eric Denton's "Christmas Wishes" is a wonderful Americana Christmas instrumental that legitimately makes you feel like Christmas. Glenn Kaiser's "Christmas Comin' Round Again" is perfect front porch Blues. I enjoyed Big Fat Tom's contribution, which I'd call Vince Guaraldi inspired Pop. And the one song that bothered me a little was Derek Rose's "Christmasses Long Ago". And it bothered me because it's on the cusp of being a great song, but it needs some collaboration--someone to tighten up the lyrics and music a bit. Do that, record it in a professional studio, and you've got a Jimmie Rodgers Folk Pop hit (the "Honeycomb" dude, not the other one).Of course, you have to remember that most of these folks are not professional songwriters and performers. Some of the music and words are probably very much off the cuff. But these are people having a blast and that always shines through. And, every year, a few of the tunes on "A Cigar Box Nation Christmas" will be among my absolute favorites of the season. Mark Jeghurs' "Silent Night" is going straight into the Stubby's Hall of Fame (or it would if there were one). I'm pretty sure all the old volumes are still available as well, but I don't have links handy (check the Stubby's archives; you'll probably find most of them). Poke around at Cigar Box Nation and you'll find some nice Christmas videos not on this collection. But, first, grab the free download of the "2016 Cigar Box Nation Christmas".

Our friends at Santapalooza thought "Stubby would like this" and sent the link our way. And we thank them.

Ren Geisickis a young Jazz singer from California. She's currently finishing up her debut album which is expected to be released early in the new year. While Ren absorbed a lot listening to Nat King Cole and Ella Fitzgerald growing up, she was also blown away by the music of Eva Cassidy, and some of Eva's style, primarily her emotional honesty, has inspired Ren's approach as well.

For the second year in a row, Ren took center stage at City Lights for a Christmas and seasonal program,"Ren's Winter Wonderland", and the the tracks on"Feels Like Christmas"were culled from the December 6 performance.

On the downside, I simply can't listen to"Baby It's Cold Outside"anymore. Forget the creepy aspects, it's just played out (you've had it with"Little Drummer Boy"? I'm done with"Baby It's Cold Outside"). They clearly have fun with it, but it doesn't help (for me). And"Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas"just comes off as a bit too Cabaret Jazz for my taste. But the band is solid throughout, Ren soars when she cuts loose (as on the Bluesy"Santa Claus Is Back In Town"), the two originals are fantastic (especially"Comin' Down Christmas", written by keyboard manJon Dryden), and Ren and company shine on"That's What I Want For Christmas"(though I still maintain Dave's True Story did it best). And, if there needed to be any more here to recommend it, Ren included a Hanukkah song, Peter Yarrow's"Light One Candle". You can always impress me by remembering that there's a large group of folks who celebrate Hanukkah.

As a free (or name-your-price) download fromBandcamp, there's no reason not to recommend"Feels Like Christmas". But, for the affirmative case, tracks 2 through 4 alone are more exceptional than anything an awful lot of Jazz albums I'vepurchasedcan muster. I'm looking forward to hearingRen Geisick'sdebut album next year.

So you say you're feeling down because the new Sloan Christmas single sold out before you could get one? Is that what's troubling you, bunky? Well lift your head up high and know that you can get a digital download of at least one side of the single for free.

"The Noisetrade 2016 Holiday Mixtape" has arrived and, right off the bat, they hit a home run by having Sloan's"Kids Come Home At Christmas". The collection has lots of other good Christmas music, too. Old favorites like Sleeping At Last, Andrew Belle and Sugar & The Hi-Lows are joined by artists you may be less familiar with like Saintsenaca, Old Sea Brigade, and Trelia. There's even a nod to the Festival of Lights as the LeeVees classic "How Do You Spell Channukkahh" is included. Sure, the star, here, is Sloan. But there are no loser tracks and it's all free. After a quick sample, I'd say it's well worth your while to check out Trelia and Benjamin James. One thing of note. The collection does not appear to be streamable, so you're going to have to download it to hear it. But that's not a great inconvenience, being as it is a free gifty.

The Bartlettis a live music venue in Spokane, Washington. Not a huge place, but not a hole-in-the-wall either. A nice mid-size bar and live music place. It appears they have some appetizers at the bar, but I'm not sure what. I do know they've managed some pretty well known acts...David Bazan, Polyphonic Spree, Bonnie Pribce Billy, The Cave Singers, and more.

They opened in 2014 and, I guess to help get the word out, they put out a little free Christmas EP on Bandcamp at the end of the year. This is year 3 for"Bartlett Christmas"so now it qualifies as a tradition. My mind is telling me that the first year's was fairly folksy (but my mind does lie...a lot). Last year's collection was memorable for a couple of less folksy numbers...Wonder's "Cathedral Pearls"andLoomer'sShoegazy cover of XTC's"Thanks For Christmas".

Volume 3 is a nice mix of both the Indie Folk and Indie Rock. I instantly fell in love withFolkinception's "358 Days", which demonstrates that lots of people dread Christmas for lots of different reasons. The kid who has to give up his bed for a week to his Uncle, the man who lost the woman he loved to his brother.It's been 358 days
Since this godawful year began
All I really want for the very next one
Is for Christmas to just go away

That's followed by a winning bit of Synth Pop fromLavoy,"Merry Christmas I Miss You". Americana fromPrarie WarandJenny Anne Mannanis balanced by the Alt Rock ofViolet Catastrophe. Mini Murdersoffer up a Dream Pop"Under The Ice"and the festivities close withCurran Long'sheartfelt Indie spin on"I'll Be Home For Christmas". The balance offered by this year's"Bartlett Christmas"makes it a worthy entry, even if it weren't free...which it is. Grab it from Bandcamp. And pivk up the first two volumes while you're there.

The FREE List

Here we hope to direct you to some of the Christmas music on the web that can be yours absolutely free. We will not direct you to mp3 or sharity sites, here, but only to artist sites, label sites, and other authorized and unquestionably legal locations.